I went to bed late, so I was exhausted when the blinds rose and my alarm went off simultaneously.
“Damn it,” I muttered, climbing out of the massive king-sized bed.
I had barely an hour to get ready.
I showered quickly and cleaned myself up.
I couldn’t be late for the regular Saturday family lunch.
I opted for a suit with no tie—my mother deserved my best look.
I caught my reflection in the mirror: a tall, well-built man with elegant stubble, dark hair, and dark eyes.
I left a note for the twins on the counter with some cash and drove across the city to my parents’ estate, hidden behind high fences.
I triggered the gate and pulled up to the house, where my two older brothers were already enthusiastically hugging my parents.
Even approaching sixty, my mother looked fantastic—slender, with dyed silver hair that perfectly framed her face.
My father was the same as always.
I inherited his looks, but his face was strictly framed by glasses and, as far as I knew, had never formed a smile.
Even his suit looked rigid.
I never understood how my mother could still be so deeply in love with him, though my father was just as crazy about her.
“Caspian!” Mom hugged me the moment I stepped out of the car.
My brothers and my future sister-in-law were busy brown-nosing my father.
My brothers were eight and ten years older than me; I was an unplanned surprise, and that age gap meant we never found any common ground.
“You look good, sweetheart” Mom smiled, adjusting my collar.
“Give him a pacifier,” Evander, the oldest, quipped.
The three of us looked alike—all Father’s features—though I kept the stubble specifically because they didn’t.
Beside Evander stood Destiny, a honey-blonde former cover girl and his gold-digging fiancée.
They got engaged after she supposedly got pregnant a few months ago, though her stomach curiously hadn’t grown.
Three years ago, I’d made it clear to Destiny she shouldn’t expect more than a few nights from me, so she pivoted to my brother.
That sucker actually proposed.
She’s been very discreet with her lovers ever since, terrified of losing the gravy train.
Obviously, I know about them.
“He’s a big boy now,” Benjamin, the middle brother, added.
“Just tucking him in is enough.”
“Caspian.” Father stepped up, and we shook hands.
“Father.” That was basically the extent of our conversation.
“Let’s go inside,” Mom said.
“Lunch is ready.”
We entered the massive dining room.
Carlos, the butler, already had the maids set the table.
“I love these regular family lunches,” Mom said, laughing.
“At least I get to see everyone.”
“When is the wedding, Evander?” Father asked once we started eating.
“We’d like grandchildren.”
“We haven’t discussed it yet,” Evander replied.
“Since we aren’t having the baby after all, there’s no rush.”
As if Destiny was ever pregnant.
Her clock was ticking; I’d given her a month to make an elegant exit a few weeks ago.
“Are you signing a prenup?” I asked nonchalantly.
Destiny glared at me; she knew exactly why I was asking.
“There’s no need,” Evander said.
“Once we have children, the contract won’t matter anyway.”
I glanced at Father.
We weren’t close, but he clearly didn’t agree with Evander’s logic either.
“And what about you, Benjamin?” Father turned to Ben.
“Don’t you want to find someone?
You’re well over thirty, and a relationship takes time before it turns into marriage.”
“That brunette from last time was very sweet,” Mom added encouragingly.
“Unfortunately, we weren’t a match,” my brother said.
Of course not—she was a gold-digger and got caught.
I sighed.
I was next.
“Caspian,” Father turned to me, “you start at another college next week.
Try not to get yourself kicked out this year.”
“It’s pointless for me to go to finance school,” I said calmly.
“You have enough money that even your grandkids won’t have to work.
My perfect brothers will run the company.”
“I won’t let you drift,” Father said.
“You have to do something with your life.”
“I am,” I replied.
“It just won’t be in your office.”
“I expect you not to get expelled this year.
I’ve enrolled you in the local school under your mother’s maiden name, Griffin.
Your name won’t protect you this time, and I’m not paying for any more out-of-state or international schools just for you to get drunk.”
“Plus, we recruit the top juniors from that school for internships every year,” Benjamin added.
“Well, I’ll never be one of them,” I said, finishing my meal.
“But just to get you off my back, Father, I won’t get expelled.”
“Good.”
After lunch, I handed Mom a new volume from her favorite mystery writer.
“This doesn’t come out until next week,” I said.
“If nothing else, the Barnaby name is good for this.”
Mom opened the book and smiled.
“Signed, specifically for you,” I said, kissing her forehead.
“Thank you, Caspian.”